Sisolak proposes raise for state employees, increased K-12 funding

RENO — Outgoing Gov. Steve Sisolak proposed a 10 percent raise for state employees and a more than $5 billion increase in funding for K-12 in his proposed budget for the next biennium, which he unveiled Thursday.

The recommended budget will be handed off to Gov.-elect Joe Lombardo, who will be sworn into office on Jan. 2. The incoming governor and the state Legislature are likely to make their own changes to the proposal, which will determine the state’s budget from the start of fiscal year 2023 until the end of fiscal year 2024.

In a statement Thursday, Sisolak’s office released a list of highlights from the proposed budget, many of which were education-focused. The proposal included a 10 percent raise for state employees in the first year and another 5 percent raise in the second year of the budget for the 2023-2025.

The budget also includes $8.2 billion for the state’s funding for K-12 education, more than twice the $3 billion committed during the previous biennium, $18 million for education nonprofits and funds for the state’s Millennium and Promise scholarship programs.

Other investments include $100 million for an affordable housing revolving loan fund, $1 billion for capital improvement projects and a “monumental” investment towards the Nevada Clean Energy fund.

Sisolak said the budget would help “improve the quality of life for all Nevadans” and said he was “especially proud” of the funding increases for education.

“I am grateful to the Governor’s Finance Office, our State agencies and my team for their diligent work to prepare an executive budget that will help improve the quality of life for all Nevadans,” Sisolak said in a statement.

Lombardo’s spokesperson, Elizabeth Ray, said in an emailed statement that the governor-elect “will take this budget proposal under advisement and give it due consideration.”

The proposals come after the Economic Forum finalized revenue projections this month, figures that the governor must use in building the state budget.

Contact Taylor R. Avery at TAvery@reviewjournal.com. Follow @travery98 on Twitter.